xxPUSHiNG me away {NiCKjonas],, 01

- - - Vanessa's P.O.V. - - -

Much later that night, Vanessa heard the door to Joe's room slowly open. Not sure who it was, she pretended to be fast asleep.

"Vanessa?" Nick's voice floated through the darkness. She saw his body framed against the door. He tiptoed into the room and called her name again. That was when Joe came to the door.

"Nick, what're you doing in here?" he yawned.

"I need to talk to Vanessa," he replied. "It's really important."

"I'm sure it is," Joe nodded, pushing Nick back into the hall. "Now get out."

"But-" Joe slammed the door in Nick's face before he could finish his sentence and locked it before walking past the couch towards his dresser. Just as he passed her, Vanessa reached out to grab his arm, wanting to thank him for sending away Nick.

"Agh!" Joe shouted, jumping backwards and tripping over a shoe, landing on the floor with a reverberating bang.

Vanessa giggled and sat up, kicking off the covers. "Sorry, Joe!" she whisper-shouted as she held out a hand to help him up with. Joe took it and got to his feet, managing to reach his dresser without tripping on something else. A long moment later, a light flicked on. Joe had changed into his pajamas; flannel bottoms and a white wife-beater. He walked over to the couch and flopped down onto it.

"Never do that again," he laughed. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Vanessa giggled and pulled the blankets up to her chin.

"It's cold in here. Share."

"It isn't big enough to cover the entire couch," she complained, sticking out her tongue at him.

"Then get closer to me, because I want that freaking blanket!" Joe insisted.

"Fine. Grumpy." Vanessa scooted across the couch until their bodies were touching and threw the blankey over the two of them. Even though they were basically smashed against each other, the blankey just barely covered them. "There. Happy?"

"Yup, I think so." Joe smiled and then bit his lip. For the first time, Vanessa noticed that Joe had a very light sprinkling of freckles across the bridge of his nose; it was one of those things where you had to be right in front of them to see. "So, you and Nick...are you not together anymore?"

Vanessa sighed. "Well, I guess we technically are. But I'm going to have to end it if he's going to do stuff like this to me." She scrunched up her nose in disgust and muttered, "A guy tells you he loved you then goes and kisses his ex-girlfriend...."

Joe pressed his lips together before asking, "He told you he loved you?"

She nodded. "Yeah. The bastard."

Joe laughed.

"I can't love him if I know he doesn't honestly love me."

Joe nodded in agreement. "That's true."

Vanessa yawned and leaned against Joe as she asked, "You know that prank we pulled?"

He nodded slowly. "Yes."

She yawned again, not bothering to cover her mouth with her hand, and then said, "Why did you get so upset about it?"

Joe opened his mouth to reply, but closed it. He waited a long moment, but when he opened his mouth again to answer her, he looked down and noticed that she was already asleep.

- - - Nick's P.O.V. - - -

Nick had attempted to talk to Vanessa, but Joe had thrown him out of the room. He'd stalked back to his room and threw himself face-down onto his bed. Earlier that day, everything had been going so perfect, but it had spiraled out of control very quickly. It was strange to be in his room by himself when he knew Vanessa was still in the house, spending the night. He'd gotten used to having her in the same room with him, and being aware of her sleeping somewhere else - in Joe's room - made him feel slightly uneasy.

He finally fell asleep hours later. When he awoke, he jumped out of bed and tip-toed down the hall. Before he left his room, he'd glanced at his clock: it was eight in the morning.

He reached Joe's room and lingered outside for about ten minutes, debating going inside or just walking away and going on normally with his morning. Knowing he couldn't behave normally without just checking up on her, he reached out and touched the doorknob, slowly turning it and pushing open the door. He winced as it squeaked noisily and prayed that they were both heavy sleepers.

He stepped inside the room, which was only lit by the light spilling in through the cracks in the shades. He had to stand there for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the lack of light. Even after he could see, it took a minute before he located Vanessa.

She was laying on Joe's couch, a blanket half on her body and half hanging off the couch. She looked beautiful as always, her blonde hair fanned out behind her. It didn't register with Nick for a long moment that she was basically laying on top of Joe, her head resting against his chest. He also noticed, with mute horror, that their fingers were laced together.

Had they spent the entire night like that? What was going on?! Nick backed out of the room, not bothering to close the door after himself, and bolted to his room, feeling around on his desk for his phone, first locating his ring. He slipped it on and continued his search, finding the phone moments later. His fingers hovered nervously over the keypad, slightly reluctant to make the call. But when the image of Vanessa and Joe sleeping so close together flashed in his mind, he dialed the familiar number, waiting only one and a half rings before the phone was answered.

"Hi. Can I see you today, Miley?"